


A Conversationalist

by uncaringrose



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, klance is hinted at, lance and keith talk basically, others are mentioned - Freeform, vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 00:36:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14032296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uncaringrose/pseuds/uncaringrose
Summary: Keith needs some normalcy after meeting his mother. But things are off at the castleship, and he finds himself talking to Lance of all people.





	A Conversationalist

Having met his mom had sent a whirlwind of emotions through Keith. Once he got her back to the Mamora base, he quickly asked Kolvian if he could take a bit to visit his friends. The leader only agreed, and didn't bother prying into why. 

His mother had attempted to corner him several times to speak, but he dodged them as quick as he could in order to rush to a shuttle after messaging the princess. He didn't miss the way her eyes slightly watered and how she watched his shuttle leave after he briefed her as much as he could.

He just didn't know how to feel.

It was all too much, too fast. He needed something comforting.

When he made it into the castle, his first thought was to find Shiro. Surely the man could offer some good insight that would calm him.

However, as he rounded the corner to the briefing room, he heard Shiro’s voice. And he wasn’t happy.

“I know what I’m doing, Allura,” he heard him  _ growl.  _ There was malice and disdain in his voice. Keith stopped in his tracks, peeking through the crack in the door. Allura could be seen next to the black paladin, her face serious and shoulders squared, almost like she was expecting him to physically lash out. Keith felt his stomach twist as the princess curtly excused herself, making her way to the door. The half-galra clambered to the side, hiding behind the wall. Allura obviously wasn’t in a good mind-set, as she didn’t even sense his presence and simply kept walking in the direction of her room.

Keith stood there for a long time, occasionally hearing Shiro kick a wall or mumble to himself. After a while, he decided against approaching the black paladin. Maybe he could find someone else to at least have fun with.

He walked briskly through the halls of the castle. It was quiet. The air was tense, and that worried him. Usually, if it was a day off, Pidge or Hunk played music over the castle’s sound system. But there was nothing. And quickly checking a nearby computer, the lions were still in the castle.

His body had gone into auto-pilot somewhere along the way, and he found himself standing outside the training room. It comforted him, in an odd way. He opened the door, and was surprised to find someone inside.

Especially since that someone was  _ Lance. _

The boy was in the middle of the room, with two bots rushing at him with swords. His helmet had been apparently knocked off, and his hair was clinging to his forehead. Keith saw the red bayard a few feet away, behind the left bot. He was about to launch himself over to help, but suddenly Lance slid in between the bot’s legs, grabbing the bayard and jumping up.

Keith’s eyes widened as he saw the bayard transform into a broadsword, of all things.

_ When did that happen? _

His ex-teammate sliced through the first bot with ease, and soon took down the second after exchanging a few blows. They fell through the floor, and Lance went to scoop up his helmet, putting away his bayard as he did so. Keith was staring at him so intently it was strange that he didn’t notice that the red paladin had noticed him.

“Keith?” Lance said, knocking the other out of his reverie. After the initial shock faded from Lance’s face, he lit up and ran over to Keith, embracing him tightly.

And then jumped backwards, as if Keith had burned him.

The shorter boy blinked owlishly at him, his brain still unsure of everything that had happened. Shiro, the sword, the hug- it was building up again. He felt tired. Really tired.

“Keith… you okay?” Lance tugged at his arm, pulling him over to a bench and looking at him intently. He looked worried. And suddenly everything felt… weird. Time kept on ticking. Things kept on changing. He felt so, so small. His hands were shaking. Lance was kneeling in front of him, and Keith chuckled when he noticed a there was a spot in his hair that was sticking up. He fought the urge to smooth it out. 

Stupid impulses.

He noticed Lance was still waiting for an answer, and he smile warily down at him.

“I… A lot has happened, Lance.” he managed to get out, sighing heavily. The room was quiet since Lance stopped training.

“You wanna talk?” Lance offered, surprising both of them. This was weird. They weren’t ever that close. However, Keith was be wrong if he said him and Lance hadn’t formed some sort of bond when he was the black paladin. 

And he realized, in that moment, he had actually kind of missed the cuban boy.

Keith nodded, patting the spot next to him. Lance gave him an awkward smile before taking his offer. He placed his helmet on the floor.

“I met my mom,” Keith said after a few moments of silence, feeling lighter already after saying that. But he didn’t meet Lance’s eyes. “It was on a Blade mission. She didn’t even tell me until near the end.”

Keith was expecting Lance to get excited. To cheer and ask him countless questions. Maybe talk about how much he loves his own mom.

But he didn’t.

“You don’t know how to talk to her,” Lance stated instead, looking straight ahead. “And you feel lost.”

“Yeah,” he replied breathlessly. 

“You came back to get a sense of normalcy.” Keith nodded. Lance chuckled, but there wasn’t much emotion behind it. “Have you guys talked much?”

“Not really. I… I ran away as soon as I could.”

“Ah. So it was recent.”

“Yeah. I was hoping to talk to Shiro”- Keith didn’t miss the way Lance tensed- “but it didn’t look like he was in a good mood.”

“Yeah,” Lance said, sighing, holding his head in his hands. “Why not talk to Allura then? Or Hunk? Or Pidge?” Keith frowned, huffing as he knocked shoulders with the red paladin.

“Please. Allura and me aren’t exactly close friends-”

“And me and you are?” Keith tensed as he met Lance’s eyes for the first time. His chest felt warm as he saw all the emotions that swam in those blue irises. 

“Yeah,” he found himself saying, suddenly feeling how close the two of them were and not minding it one bit. “You are- were my right hand man, Lance.”

“Yeah. For like a month.”

“Why do you have to be so difficult? I know we don’t always agree, but that doesn’t mean I don’t trust you. We butt heads a lot, but… we’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” Lance smirked in faux amusement. But he returned the shoulder bump.

“We have. As much as I  _ hate  _ to admit it.” Keith smiled earnestly now, seeing the other do the same. Lance’s eyes softened, and the other noticed the bags under his eyes. “Don’t tell anyone, but I actually missed you, mullet.”

“And I missed you, sharpshooter,” Keith shot back, feeling more warmth bloom in his chest. But tired blue eyes were on his mind. “So, are  _ you  _ okay?” Lance stood up after the question flew into the air, grabbing his helmet as he did so. “ _ Lance. _ ”

“I’m fine, Keith.” The cuban smiled brightly, but Keith could tell it was fake. “I should get back to train-”

“What’s going on with Shiro?” Keith interrupted, looking directly into Lance’s eyes, hoping he came off serious enough. “I know you know something is off.”

They looked into each other’s eyes for, what felt like, hours. The taller boy fidgeted under Keith’s heated stare, before finally cracking.

“I don’t know,” he whispered, turning his gaze to the helmet in his hands. He sounded so broken and  _ hurt  _ that it felt like ice in Keith’s veins. He stood up to move closer to the red paladin.

“I saw him earlier. I know I haven’t been around, but I can tell that something is wrong with him. Lance, I  _ need  _ you to tell me what’s going on. I may not be a part of Voltron anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t trust me.”

“It’s not about trust, Keith,” Lance sighed, looking back at him. He looked so sad now. “He’s practically your brother. And he’s our leader. If we cause a rift now, we could fall apart.”

“You’re falling apart now!” Keith shouted, causing Lance to jump, but they both stood their ground. “I can see it on Allura’s face, and yours, and the way the ship feels. At first I thought it was Lotor, but he’s at his own castle now. And seeing Shiro like that… Lance, we need to figure this out.”

The red paladin looked at him through watery eyes, only offering a nod in response. Keith felt out of place again. But right now, he didn’t care.

Time would keep on ticking. Things were going to keep changing. And they both were so, so small.

But now that pushed him to close the distance, leading on impulse, and wrapping his arms around his friend. Because they were bigger together.

Lance didn’t react right away, but a few moments later he followed suit and locked Keith in his arms. They were going to figure this out. 

Together.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written a fic in a while. It'd be cool if you guys left me some suggestions. I also need to work on my voltron/pokemon au.
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this little oneshot!


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